| abstract |
This disclosure relates to a mineral-releasing compost prepared by combining a prebiotic material, cellulosic plant material, a probiotic material, Lactobacillus, and one or more mineral gluconate salts to form a composting mixture. The composting conditions are controlled to allow for the composting mixture to decompose and fully stabilize and mature, wherein the compost then includes one or more minerals as digested products of the respective mineral gluconate salts. The minerals can include copper, iron (both ferric and ferrous forms) magnesium, zinc, cobalt, calcium and potassium, wherein the preferred embodiment contains ferrous iron. The mineral-releasing compost is particularly suitable for remediation of soil contaminated with heavy metals (see Fig. 1) and for amendment of soil deficient of certain minerals. |